


How The Deaf Boy Fell In Love

by Poorlittleklainer



Series: Klaine One Shots [3]
Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M, deaf!Kurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-03-23 18:22:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13793484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poorlittleklainer/pseuds/Poorlittleklainer
Summary: AU in which Kurt is deaf and meets Blaine at McKinley.





	How The Deaf Boy Fell In Love

Kurt Hummel doesn't remember the accident that took away both his mother and his hearing. He's told that it was the result of a drunk driver. He's told that it took a couple days for the injuries to take his hearing. He's told that it took a week for the injuries to take his mother.

 

The biggest loss after his mother was probably singing. Kurt loved to sing, but when he lost his hearing, he lost his desire to sing. Part of it was his lack of ability to hear himself, but most of it was the fact that if he couldn't sing with her, who would he sing with? Who would he sing for?

 

The first question people often ask is if Kurt remembers what it was like to hear. He remembers bits and pieces, but the way an airplane flying overhead sounds has long since been lost in his memory. He couldn't recall what his father's voice sounded like, and learning that seemed like a tragedy to many people.

 

Burt Hummel was a determined man. When he learned his only son wasn't able to hear anymore, he put both himself and Kurt in sign language classes, learned all that he could about Deaf Culture, and transferred his son to the Ohio School for the Deaf in Columbus. That's where Kurt spent the majority of his education. He would live in the campus dorms with his friends during the week, and tried to come home for a weekend or two every month. But his senior year was different. His senior year Burt decided he wanted Kurt to attend the mainstream public school called William McKinley.

 

"Dad? Why are you doing this to me?" Kurt signed rapidly to his father upon learning of Burt's plan. Burt sighs, watching his son's face slowly transfer from angry to betrayal.

 

"You need to experience life at a hearing school, Kurt. If you are still planning on going to college, you need to understand how to interact in a dominantly hearing school and world," Burt told his son. Kurt sighs angrily.

 

"But all my friends are at OSD! It's my senior year!" Kurt tries again, trying to get Burt to change his mind. But like his son, Burt Hummel was a stubborn man.

 

"You can still talk with them. Now you have the chance to make new friends," Burt tries to put a positive spin on this, but it only seems to make Kurt angrier.

 

"New friends? Have you forgotten what hearing people are like when they meet me? Who would want to make friends with the deaf kid who doesn't even speak!" Kurt twists his face in disgust as he signs, trying to get his father to understand he is condemning him to a year of isolation and loneliness without his deaf friends.

 

Burt slams his hands on the table, causing what Kurt is sure to be a resounding thud, if he had been able to hear it. "I am done with this conversation. You will be going to McKinley next week, period," he says, his face clearly expressing his anger. Kurt sighs, understanding that there is no way to get around this. He glares at his father, mustering all the anger he has into that sharp look, and without another word he gets up from the table to stomps to his room, leaving Burt alone in the kitchen. Kurt sighs as he collapses onto his bed, looking at the pictures of him and his friends on his nightstand. He doesn't know how he's going to get through this year.

 

********

 

Kurt looks around the hallway as he hesitantly walks into the school. Surrounding him were many people, talking animatedly with one another. Down the hallway he sees multiple boys in varsity jackets wrestling with one another, drawing a small crowd who watches. Friends chat, talking endlessly about something. Kurt sighs, not being able to understand anything that's being said. After all, they were all talking, not signing.

 

Kurt feels someone tap on his shoulder and he turns around, seeing two adults walking up to him. The first one was a shorter Indian man wearing a suit. The second one was taller, with long blonde hair, who wasn't wearing a suit but still looked more dressed up than some of the teachers Kurt had already seen were wearing.

 

The Indian man starts talking, and the second one immediately starts to interpret. Kurt watches the interpreter as the first man continues to talk.

 

"Kurt, my name is Principal Figgins. This is Zachary, one of the interpreters we have hired for your classes. Your schedule is here, as well as your locker combination. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask," the Principal hands Kurt a schedule, and he watches as Principal Figgins walks away, leaving Kurt with the interpreter. Kurt looks over the paper in his hand, seeing the same classes he would have been taking at OSD.

 

"Are you my stalker now?" Kurt asks the interpreter. To his surprise, Zachary actually laughs in the face of Kurt's sarcastic question.

 

"I'll try not to stalk you through the hallways. I won't be the only interpreter for you, so the others will meet you in your classes," he explains. Kurt nods, looking around the school.

 

"Do you interpret here much?" Kurt asks, wondering how many other deaf and hard of hearing kids are in this school. He hopes that there is at least one person who understands what he's going through.

 

"No, I haven't been here at all," Zachary says. Kurt sighs, looking down at his first period College Trig class and having no clue how to get there. He's still looking down when suddenly a body appears out of nowhere in front of him. Kurt feels himself let out a gasp of air as the two connect, stumbling back along with the other boy. Kurt looks up at him, wondering how he missed being able to see the boy walking up to him. After all, despite the fact that he was looking down, Kurt has fairly good perception.

 

The other boy was short, with dark hair gelled back on his head. He was probably the only person besides Kurt who would ever voluntarily wear a bow tie, and he was wearing one with red and white stripes. His shirt was just a plain black tee shirt, with red pants that could rival Kurt's own skinny jeans. Kurt silently lets himself approve of the boy in front of him, completely missing when he says something.

 

Zachary, to his credit, hadn't jumped in right away to interpret for Kurt, which he's thankful for. At least he understands that Kurt can do things on his own, unlike some of the other interpreters he's had.

 

"Are you okay?" The boy asks again, and this time Kurt is able to lip read him fine. Kurt nods, watching the boy as he smiles.

 

"You have to be new, I'm pretty sure I would remember if I saw you around here before. I'm Blaine," he holds out his hand, smiling widely. Kurt reaches out and shakes his hand, then points to his own name on his schedule. Blaine looks confused towards the fact that Kurt isn't speaking to him. Kurt decides to put him out of his misery, figuring that the short time he interacted with Blaine would be all he could have with him. Kurt points to his ears and shakes his head, trying to get Blaine to figure out he's deaf. To his credit, Blaine understands quickly.

 

"Oh, you're deaf!" Then he does something that surprises Kurt. He slowly, and badly, finger spells his name. Kurt fights back a laugh at the look of focus on his face as Blaine struggles to remember how to sign his own name.

 

"That's all I know. I learned the alphabet at one point and that was probably wrong," Blaine says, and Kurt smiles, and points to the first class he has to go to. He then shrugs, trying to tell Blaine he doesn't know where to go. Again, Blaine seems to understand right away.

 

"Oh, you have Mrs. Carr. She's good. It's up the stairs, down the hallway, and like the last door on the right," Blaine tries to paint the picture with his hands, which Kurt definitely appreciates. After all, his language is all about being visual. Kurt signs thank you to him, and Blaine gets really excited.

 

"Oh, I know that one!" He says, narrowing his eyes as he struggles to think. His eyes widen, and Kurt is momentarily struck by how cute he looks all excited like that. "Thank you, right?" He ask. Kurt nods, smiling at him. Blaine grins widely.

 

"Your welcome," he says. Kurt shows him the sign for 'your welcome' and Blaine repeats it. Kurt nods, and starts to walk away. As he walks by Blaine, he feels him out a hand on his shoulder. Kurt turns around and looks at him.

 

"I know being the new kid can suck, so if you need someone to show you around," Blaine says. Kurt smiles softly, feeling more than thankful enough that Blaine took the time to struggle through the language barrier with him. Kurt signs thank you again, and Blaine signs your welcome back. Kurt then leaves to head to his math class, and Zachary starts to follow him once again.

 

"Thank you for not jumping in and saving the deaf kid," Kurt signs, looking over at him.

 

"I know it's not my job, you know? I'm just here to interpret what you need," he says, and Kurt smiles. Some interpreters need a little reminder about that fact, Kurt thinks.

 

Kurt's first day passes by pretty uneventfully. He gets many strange looks in the hallways, from being the new kid, to being the very fashionably dressed new kid, and by being the deaf new kid. Kurt pretty much passes by everybody by being constantly stared at. He wonders if they are talking about him behind his back, and for a moment, he's pretty sure they are.

 

At the end of the day, Kurt manages to let himself take a relieved breath. He actually managed to survive his first day at a hearing school. Sure, the interpreters weirded out his classmates some times, but they could ignore them and the class could continue on the way it always has.

 

Kurt walks past a classroom with an open door, and looks into it curiously when he feels the vibrations of drums. He sees two rows of bright red chairs lined up on stairs, and he watches as a familiar head of gelled black hair takes front and center. Blaine's obviously singing something, and Kurt watches as the other people in the room get up and dance along with him, singing to whatever song Blaine was leading. Kurt lets himself watch the energy in the room reach a peak, and then the song is over and everybody seems to be hugging one another. Then, everybody gathers their things and turn to leave. Kurt quickly darts out of the open doorway before they can see he was watching.

 

He starts walking towards his car when a hand lightly taps his shoulder. Kurt looks over to see Blaine walking next to him with a smile.

 

"Hey," he waves his hand in greeting, and Kurt waves back. Blaine's smiles seems infectious because Kurt finds himself smiling back.

 

"How was your day?" Blaine asks, and Kurt shrugs his shoulders as a way of saying it was okay. Kurt holds out his hand in order to stop Blaine from responding, and takes out his phone. He opens the notes setting on his iPhone and types out a quick message.

 

_Do you mind if I get your number? It's just easier to text if you want to keep talking because you don't know sign and I don't speak._ Kurt hands the phone to Blaine and watches nervously as he reads the message. Did Kurt read Blaine wrong? Does he not want to be Kurt's friend? After all, he barely knows Kurt and they have a huge language barrier between them. But then he watches as Blaine types something into his phone and hands it back with another grin.

 

_Of course. But believe me, I will be going home and looking up some more signs_. Blaine follows the message with his number, and Kurt is about to look up at him and ask why he would go through the trouble with that, but Blaine is waving goodbye and getting into his car. It's then that Kurt realizes they've already gotten to the parking lot. Kurt sighs, heading over to his car and driving home.

 

He tells himself that he will not fall for the cute hearing boy, no matter what said cute hearing boy does.

 

When Kurt gets home, Burt is already there. He smiles when his son enters the house, looking up from the television when Kurt enters the room.

 

"Hey. How was school?" Burt signs, fully expecting Kurt to yell at him about how horrible it was and try to guilt him into transferring back to OSD. But to his surprise, Kurt just smiles and shrugs his shoulders.

 

"It was fine," Kurt says, heading up the stairs with a smile that is entirely the fault of one black haired boy.

 

*******

 

The next day, Kurt is surprised to find Blaine waiting for him by the doors. Blaine immediately smiles and walks to Kurt's side, the two slowly walking through the hallways together.

 

"Hey! How are you?" Kurt is surprised when Blaine shakily signs the words to him, still speaking at the same time. Blaine grins at the look of shock on Kurt's face, watching Kurt slowly break out into a smile as well.

 

"Good, you?" Kurt signs, not knowing how much Blaine might know. But he seems to understand, immediately signing same here. But then he's continuing.

 

"I told you I went home and tried to learn some signs. They are probably all wrong and I'm sorry, but I'll get them eventually, especially with your help, right?" Blaine signs the very basic words, but Kurt still breaks out smiling at the effort he's going through.

 

"Why?" Kurt signs, but it seems like Blaine doesn't know that one. He grabs his phone and texts the number Blaine gave him. Blaine reads it and looks up in confusion.

 

"I thought it was obvious," he says. Then he slowly signs the next sentence. "I want to be your friend." And with that, Kurt's smile will not go away for the rest of the day.

 

*******

 

The two start off with a shaky friendship at first. The language barrier plays a big role in the development of their friendship. But despite that, they manage to get to know one another and Blaine is actually a quick learner. Kurt manages to slowly teach him sign language, enough to where he can struggle through a conversation. Blaine still talks and signs simultaneously, so Kurt does a frustrating mix of lip reading and signing but manages to survive.

 

Blaine is hanging out with Kurt during the winter holidays in his room, the two watching a movie. WIthaca the closed captioning enabled, Blaine managed to talk Kurt into the movie with him. Kurt feels his shoulder being tapped, and looks away from the screen at Blaine.

 

"Can I ask you a question?" Blaine signs. Kurt nods, and Blaine takes a deep breath.

 

"How did you lose your hearing?" He asks. Kurt looks down, away from him as he starts to remember. Blaine places a hand on his shoulder, causing him to look up.

 

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Blaine says this time, and Kurt smiles sadly at him. He takes a deep breath and looks at Blaine.

 

"My mom was driving, and I was in the car next to her. I was eight years old, and a drunk driver crashed his car into ours. I lost my hearing a couple days later," Kurt signs slowly so that Blaine understands.

 

"What happened to your mom?" Blaine asks. Kurt frowns, looking down at the bedsheets under him.

 

"She died," Kurt tells him. Blaine places a hand on Kurt's shoulder, looking at him sadly.

 

"I'm sorry I brought it up," he apologizes. Kurt shrugs, trying to make it look like he's not still fighting off tears at remembering the sad events of a day long ago.

 

"It's fine. It's hard for me to remember. I miss her a lot, I wish she was still around, you know?" Kurt tells him. Blaine nods, holding out his arms. He doesn't even need to say the words before Kurt lets himself fall into the arms of his best friend, letting him hold him. They stay like that for a long time, Kurt letting his head rest on Blaine's chest, feeling the thumping of his heartbeat. Kurt feels Blaine's lips on the top of his head, moving, but he's far too comfortable to pick his head up and ask what Blaine is saying.

 

Kurt tells himself that no matter what, he can't let Blaine know that he's falling for him.

 

*******

 

"Do you like singing?" Kurt asks Blaine one day after he finishes glee club rehearsal. Blaine grins, stopping in front of Kurt who was currently leaning against the side of his car. The two were going to head to the Lima Bean and hang out, but Kurt wanted to talk a little before going. Blaine still got scared whenever Kurt looked away from the road in order to talk with him.

 

"Well, yeah. I mean, I wouldn't be in glee club if I didn't," Blaine responds, looking at Kurt curiously. "Why do you ask?" He continues. Kurt shrugs, looking away momentarily.

 

"I was curious. And nosy. That's the one thing I think I miss most about not being able to hear. Singing," Kurt tells him. Blaine looks at him in surprise.

 

"You used to sing?" He asks. Kurt nods, smiling sadly as he remembers the days singing with his mother before the accident.

 

"Yeah, I loved to sing. My mom and I would have these little shows with one another, and my dad would judge to see who won. It was always a tie, because he never wanted to chose between us," Kurt grind as he remembers, looking over to see Blaine shaking in laughter.

 

"I can practically see your dad doing that," Blaine remarks. He looks at Kurt seriously for a minute. "Do you ever try to sing anymore?" He asks. Kurt feels his smile falling off his face as he looks down at the ground in front of his feet.

 

"Never with my voice. I don't like speaking and not being able to hear myself, so I told my dad I'm never speaking again," Kurt signs, looking up at Blaine again. Blaine nods, looking like he doesn't necessarily understand, but not saying anything against it either.

 

"Come on, I need my caffeine fix," Blaine lets the subject drop, which Kurt is thankful for. He opens the driver side door and watches as Blaine walks around and into the passenger side, shooting a relieved smile at his best friend before heading to get their coffee.

 

*******

 

It was their spring break when Kurt finally let himself do what he never thought he would do again. Without Blaine, he never would have had the courage to listen to the music again. Granted the listening was actually feeling the vibrations, but Kurt felt the music. He looked up the lyrics to his mother's favorite song and allowed himself to feel it. And one day when Kurt was over at Blaine's house, he asked Blaine to listen.

 

"You know how you said a while ago that you were doing Beatles songs in glee club?" Kurt begins by asking Blaine the question. Blaine nods, looking at him a little confused. Kurt smiles at that confused look, feeling his heart flutter more than usual. He lets himself think they are nerves for what he's about to do.

 

"I remember my dad saying my mom's favorite song was _Blackbird_. I thought I could sing it for you? In sign language I mean," Kurt asks, watching as Blaine's eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

 

"Of course, if that's what you want to do," Blaine quickly signs, and Kurt allows himself to smile at how quick Blaine was able to pick up his language. Sure, he still has his blunders, but for someone who has only started learning it seven months ago, he's using his time hanging out with Kurt very well.

 

"I want to," Kurt still looks a little hesitant as he looks over at Blaine, but he takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, the silence surrounding him giving him comfort. When he opens them, Blaine is still sitting there, looking at him, trusting Kurt to do whatever he's comfortable with.

 

" _Blackbird singing in the dead of night_ ," Kurt starts signing the song, letting himself sway to the music he feels. He doesn't pretend like he can hear the notes, instead, he feels them in his body. He signs the lyrics, letting his body move comfortably with the unheard music.

 

Kurt doesn't close his eyes, so he sees every reaction of Blaine's. Sure, sometimes he looks confused as he doesn't know what a certain sign means, but because he knows the lyrics he can guess what it is. Kurt continues signing, smiling even though the song doesn't really call for smiles.

 

When Kurt finishes, Blaine breaks out in applause, and Kurt actually feels himself blushing. Blaine grins, and like always, his smiles are infectious. Kurt himself starts smiling, and then smiles wider when Blaine begins showering him in compliments.

 

"That was beautiful, Kurt! Absolutely breathtaking. I know that ASL is a very visual language, but the way you captured the emotion of the song, wow," Blaine signs, and Kurt feels himself blush even more under his praise.

 

"Thank you," he tells him. Blaine smiles widely, and leans back against the cushions of Blaine's couch, his smile unable to disappear as the rest of the day passes.

 

Now, Kurt tells himself he really can't let his best friend know that he's head over heels about him. 

 

******

 

About a week or so after Kurt signed _Blackbird_ to Blaine, it happened. Honestly, Blaine probably pulled it straight out of a movie, and Kurt can't find it in his heart to be mad at it. In fact, it probably was one of the most romantic things that will ever happen in his life.

 

Kurt was laying on his bed one night, doing his homework, when his phone lit up with a text message. Kurt normally doesn't let himself answer his phone when he's doing homework, a fact all his friends know. However, when he sees Blaine's name on his phone, Kurt feels no choice but to answer.

 

_Hey, come outside. I need to talk to you._ Blaine's text says. Kurt eyes it is curiosity, wondering what Blaine would have to talk to him about so late. Nevertheless, Kurt throws on some shoes and fingers his hair into a semi-appropriate to be in public order and heads out into the chilly night air. He shivers, momentarily wishing he had grabbed a jacket.

 

Standing there on the porch is Blaine. Kurt reaches inside and throws on the porch light on so he would have enough light to see what Blaine is signing.

 

"Hey, what's up?" Kurt asks, looking at Blaine. He's not normally this nervous, Kurt remarks. In fact, he can't think of a time when Blaine looked this nervous, not even for the glee club's Regionals competition, which Blaine had begged Kurt to go to.

 

"I just, had to get something off my chest," Blaine signs, quicker than normal, which makes Kurt even more confused. Because the only time Blaine signs something that quick is when he's nervous, because normally he's worried he's going to get something wrong and Blaine hates signing something wrong to Kurt.

 

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" Kurt asks, sensing that this is something big. Blaine looks up at him, and Kurt watches as fear and nervousness slowly transforms into determination.

 

"How about I show you?" Blaine asks, taking a step closer to Kurt. Kurt inhales sharply as Blaine slowly enters his personal space, and without another word from either of them, Blaine leans down and kisses Kurt.

 

It takes a couple moments for Kurt to realize what's happening. Blaine lips continue to press against his own, as if trying to memorize the shape and taste of them. Kurt feels his eyes slowly slide shut, and then he reaches a hand up to cup Blaine's cheek, pressing his lips back against his and returning the kiss. When they finally pull away, a little breathless, Kurt's mind is completely blank.

 

Blaine looks up at Kurt, who is still in shock over what just happened. Blaine smiles widely. And Kurt, like always, lets Blaine's infectious smile take hold of him, and smiles back.

 

And maybe he'll let Blaine know how he got the deaf boy to fall in love with him later. 


End file.
